The KwaZulu-Natal Children's Hospital Trust is leading the transformation of Africa's first dedicated children's hospital - the KwaZulu-Natal Children's Hospital, a historic landmark in Durban, South Africa - into a world-class Centre of Excellence for child and adolescent healthcare. In partnership with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health, we are restoring this once-forgotten hospital as a beacon of hope, with a particular focus on addressing critical gaps in neurodevelopmental and mental health services.
Opened in 1931, the hospital provided care until 1984, when it was closed by the apartheid government because it treated children of all races. After decades of neglect, the Trust was established in 2011 to restore the facility through a public-private partnership with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health, with a dual mission: renovate the hospital and re-establish vital child and adolescent services. Today, it stands as a symbol of renewal and equity, ensuring that every child and adolescent has access to care.
